


Pawns

by MoonStar1220



Series: Chesspieces [1]
Category: Tales of Innocence
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 11:03:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6655414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonStar1220/pseuds/MoonStar1220
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luca is forced to attend a garden party where he has to make connections to uphold the future of the Milda Corperation.  He eventually meets a boy two years older than him and they start a friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pawns

“Now remember, Luca, this is a party to upkeep our relationship as well as make new ones. Be on your best behavior.”

“Yes, father.” He didn’t want to go to any party. He didn’t want to be put into an even more stuffy outfit that made it hard to move. Besides what good would a nine-year-old bring? His parents would be doing all the talking. The only use he had was showing that the Milda Trading Company would be in good hands when he grew up and took the position. But it wasn’t! Luca didn’t feel confident enough to take over such a large business. There was no way he could do that. Not in a million years! However such thoughts, no matter how many times he thought them, were never voiced. His father would be furious and force him to study even more. In the end he just accepted his fate hoping, praying that his father would someday figure it out.

On the way to the garden party Luca’s Father drilled into him the things to say and who to impress this time. Luca didn’t like doing this. He was a terrible liar. Still time went on no matter how much he didn’t want it to and they arrived at the party at the Belforma mansion. The sheer size of the house intimidated him so he was thankful that they were lead to the garden instead. Surely there was no way he’d get lost, even in that maze they passed. Luca remembered reading once that if you always turned right when you could you’d find the way out. Before he could slip away and hide in the maze his parents were already greeting someone and introducing him. It was the person who had invited them: the earl of the Belforma family. Beside him was two of his sons who were much older than Luca. 

Luca greeted them all with a stuttered politeness and a bow. The father smiled and asked him if he was going to replace his father at some point. “T-that’s t-the plan, L-lord Belforma.” The man laughed jovially. Luca knew that his words were taken as a more aggressive manner, but Luca wasn’t that at all. That was what his father had planned for him. Thankfully his reply seemed to have satisfied his current quota for the conversation as the Lord began talking to his father again.

By the time the sun was high Luca was beyond tired. His throat felt worn and no amount of water or punch soothed it. He was tired of talking having not been allowed to leave until they had greeted everyone. Not too long ago his mother had noticed his sluggish state and convinced his father to let him “go talk to others on his own”. The idea had intrigued his father so he allowed it. Luca immediately fled to the maze. He could hear people, came across a few that he politely bowed to before continuing. The center of the maze was a courtyard of some sort. There were people, but not as many and they all seemed more interested in their conversations rather than a kid like him. Luca sat underneath a tree and breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t at home, but he at least wasn’t having to “make connections” for the time being. Slowly his eyes closed and Luca drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Luca only stirred and began to wake when he couldn’t breathe. He tried to turn away, but couldn’t. He opened his bleary eyes and could see that something was in front of him. Sensation came to him and forced him to realize the reason as to why he couldn’t breathe. Luca batted the hands away to gasp and cough.

“Ah, you’re alive. That’s good to know.” Luca felt the tears start coming down his cheeks. What sort of crazed person was this? “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry. Please don’t tell anyone. I’ll get into a lot of trouble.” A handkerchief was thrusted into his face and Luca understood. He took the fabric and rubbed his eyes with it drying up the tears. Now with clear eyes Luca saw that the other person was a kid, just like him. In fact, Luca felt like he strangely knew this kid.

“Are… you unwell? People don’t usually try to kill a stranger unless that’s the case.”

“Hey, I wasn’t trying to kill you. I was just… teasing you.” Luca gave the other kid a concerned look. “Shut up about it! Anyway, the hell you doing here?” 

Luca decided to look around for a moment. The sun hadn’t went too far down from when he dozed off. “I’m a guest here… or my father is… I’m Luca Milda.”

The other boy hummed. “Milda, huh?” Luca had a feeling he wasn’t going to get an introduction. “Ah, those traders that always come around and help provide stuff. So you the heir?” Luca nodded. “Hey, you got weird hair.”

“Y-you’re…. Onetospeak…” He mumbled.

“What was that?” The other boy looked and sounded pissed. Causing Luca to flinch and squeak. “Ah, geez. Calm down. I’m not mad. I was just teasing you.” The boy pouted. “Hey how old are you?”

“I’m nine.”

The boy made a sound of amusement as he stood up. “Two years younger than me.” Now that the boy had stood up Luca could tell he was taller. Luca stared blankly at the hand that was placed in front of his face. “C’mon. Let’s go have some fun. You’re the only other kid at this party so we just have to make do with each other, yeah?”

Luca looked into the other boy’s eyes. It was the first time he ever did so willingly and easily. He felt like this boy could read him so easily like this, but maybe he could too. This boy was so much more braver than him. He had so much courage that it almost felt like maybe Luca could be a bit more courageous too. This boy was already on the path to becoming a man although Luca doubted he knew what that meant. The complete opposite from him. They even looked like opposites. Still Luka felt that maybe if he stayed around this boy he’d be able to learn to be courageous. Apprehensively Luca started to reach to grab the other’s offered hand. This boy could maybe be his first true friend. No. Luca stopped. This boy was worth more than him. He’d grow up to be something spectacular. Luca could see it. Suddenly Luca felt his hand being grabbed and his body being pulled up.

“C’mon, Luca. Let’s have some fun.” Luca allowed himself to be dragged to wherever this boy wanted. His mind was blank with happiness. He felt like they understood each other. Luca felt that this boy would take him on adventures he’d never forget and treat him like he wasn’t worthless. “Okay, let’s play Sneak.” The boy said after stopping at the edge of the main area. Luca breathed heavily not used to running so much. “Geez, you’re really weak, huh?”

“I’m sorry.” Luca gasped out prepared to have this boy to leave him like all his other ‘friends’. However this boy waited patiently his hand still grasping Luca’s. “H-how do you play Sneak?”

“Exactly what it sounds like. We’re gonna sneak around. We gotta have an objective though…” They boy’s silver eyes scanned the party. Luca’s stomach growled causing his face to become red with embarrassment as the boy laughed. “Okay, we’ll sneak to the food table and snag some food.”

“E-eh? Why do we have to do that when we can just walk up there?” Unless this boy wasn’t supposed to be here. That couldn’t be though. The boy was dressed up as much as he was. He was the son of someone here, but who?

The boy let go of Luca’s hand in order to sling the arm across Luca’s neck. “It’s just a game. It’ll make this boring stuffy party a bit better. Now listen up. Rule is we can’t be caught, can’t bring attention to ourselves. We gotta hide behind statues and bushes. We gotta be quiet. Now here’s the plan.” Luca listened well to the plan, but he felt there were some things that could be done better. He didn’t get the chance to tell the other boy before he declared the game was on and was rushing to the first point. 

Luca followed the other, staying low to the ground, and tried being as sneaky as possible. At least he had the quiet part down, but being fast enough was a problem. Luca could feel himself starting to become sluggish and out of breath again. “Objective Failed.” He heard a voice as he was pulled up by his jacket. The other boy growled out in frustration and defeat. “You need to choose better people. Otherwise they’ll just slow you down and hold you back.” The voice preached to the other boy. Luca recognized the voice as the second son of Lord Belforma.

The words he had spoke stung though. “I-I’m sorry… I’m not very go-good with physi-sical a-activity.” He could feel the tears sting his eyes and threaten to fall. Before they could Luca saw the other boy move quickly and the next thing he knew he was dropped onto the ground.

“Leave Luca alone. We were just playing since we’re the only kids here.” Luca heard the other boy spat. He looked behind to see the second son shaking a wrist and the other boy standing between them in a defensive and protective manner. For a moment Luca could have swore he saw a sword in place of the other boy, but dismissed it. They boy was acting as a shield if anything not a sword.

“Is there a problem here?” Lord Belforma’s voice commanded out causing both of the boys to flinch. 

Luca spun his head around to look at the earl and noticed his father by his side. “Luca?” Luca scrambled up and stood stiffly. “N-nothing’s wrong. T-the y-young lord-” Luca could see from the corner of his eye the other boy’s expression change into surprise. Luca knew who he was. He had from the beginning. “-and I were j-just playing a-a game. W-we lost though.”

Lord Belforma look at Luca then to his sons. The second son nodded his head in confirmation of Luca’s words. “Spada, did you not take to losing well?”

“It’s not that!” The boy huffed before turning to his older brother. “Don’t ever degrade one of my friends again.” Luca flinched at the boy calling him a friend. He hadn’t expected to be called that by a Lord’s son. The boy turned away and started walking. “Come on, Luca. Let’s go get food.” Luca panicked and looked towards his father. He wasn’t told to make friends with the youngest son. He wasn’t told to be friends with any of them. Now he had caused a scene. His father remained expressionless not silently telling him what he wanted. “C’mon!” 

“I’m coming!” Luca squeaked out rushing over to the irritated boy. 

The walk to the food table was quiet. “You knew who I was?” The other asked grabbing a plate and started to fill it up.

“Y-yes. I-I’m sorry. M-my father has told me about all our business partners and their children.” Luca did the same actions.

“There’s no worth in being friendly with me then. I’m not worth much for your business.”

Luca swallowed thickly before nodding. “T-that’s what I’ve been told.” The only thing the fifth son would be good for was a political marriage and current society frowned upon same-sex marriage. “B-but e-even still I-I think you’re the type of person t-that could make something of themselves. No-not at all like me.” Luca looked down in embarrassment. 

The other boy was refusing to look at him so Luca began to worry he had said something wrong. “Thanks. Ya know though, you’re a terrible liar.”

“I-I’m not lying!” Luca protested following the other away from the food table. “I really can see it. Y-you’re going to be a great person some day a-a-and you won’t get it by fla-flattery.” He was still refusing to look at him until they came to a secluded area where they could still see the main area.

“I wasn’t talking about your words about me. I meant your humbleness.” 

“Huh?” Luca didn’t quite understand. “I really am not going to be anyone special though. I’m weak, a coward, and I can’t do anything right. I’m just a pawn... I… always will be.” Luca couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks and this time the other boy didn’t say anything about it.

“You’re wrong, Luca. You’re a strong person. Super strong. Maybe not in the physical strength type of strong, but you’ll be strong as a person. Much stronger than I’ll ever be.” The other boy just let Luca cry until his tears dried up. “Hey, Luca, I wanna introduce myself and I don’t mean properly or anything.”

“Okay.” He replied weakly. Luca understood the meaning though and smiled. 

The other boy turned to look at him. Silver eyes staring at him. It made him feel vulnerable this time, but he could also see the loneliness in the other. They were the same. “Luca? I’m Spada. Let’s be friends.” Luca almost wanted to cry again, but instead he gave a big smile and nodded in agreement. His first real friend and he was sure that he was Spada’s first real friend too.


End file.
